In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 03– 09 May 2012, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that 12 Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded and 19 Palestinians were abducted in 65 separate Israeli invasions into the West Bank and Gaza Strip.Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
In the West Bank, Israeli forces wounded 12 Palestinian civilians, including two children, in the West Bank. Eleven of these civilians, including a child, were wounded during the dispersion of peaceful demonstrations organized in protest of the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank, and in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who have been on hunger strike. Dozens of civilians also suffered from tear gas inhalation.
On 04 May 2012, a Palestinian child was wounded when Israeli forces fired at a funeral procession in Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 64 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces abducted 17 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children.
On 08 May 2012, Israeli forces raided offices of the Palestinian People Party and the Public Committee against the Annexation Wall in Ramallah, and confiscated property.
Israeli forces abducted 3 Palestinian civilians, including two children, at various checkpoints in the West Bank.
Israeli forces have continued efforts to create a Jewish demographic majority in East Jerusalem. Israeli forces ordered evacuation of a Bedouin community to the northeast of Jerusalem. Two Palestinian families were notified to vacate their homes to make way for Israeli settlers. On 06 May 2012, Israeli forces stormed a Bedouin community in al-Khan al-Ahmar, northeast of Jerusalem. They handed 8 notices to Palestinian civilian ordering the evacuation of 8 houses within 24 houses. These tin-made houses belonging to members of the al-Jahalin family, and the number of people who live in them is 35, including 19 children and 8 women.
On the same day, Israeli forces handed notices to Beit Sourik Development Association and the local council of Beit Sourik village, northwest of Jerusalem, ordering stopping pavement of an agricultural road in the village. This road has been used by Palestinian farmers for hundreds of years to reach their lands on the slopes of mountains and in valleys. It should be noted that Israeli forces confiscated hundreds of dunums[1] in the area a few years ago for the purpose of the construction of the annexation wall and cut off more than one thousand dunums of land from the village by the construction of the annexation wall.
On 07 May 2012, Fatima Salamiya received an Israeli court decision ordering her to vacate her house in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in the center of Jerusalem to be handed over to Israeli settlers who claim ownership of the house. A week earlier, Israeli occupation authority forces confiscated a house belonging to the al-Natsha family in Beit Hanina neighborhood in the north of Jerusalem and handed it over to a Jewish family.
On the same day, the Israeli Supreme Court confirmed a ruling issued by the Central Court compelling Ghazi Zalloum to leave his house in al-Qirmi quarter in the old town of Jerusalem to be handed over to Israeli settlers. The court also ordered Ismail Wazwaz to vacate his shop, claiming that it is an old Jewish property. The court further obligated the two civilians to pay the trial and attorney fees.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
During the reporting period, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in Khan Yunis on 5 occasions. On 05 May 2012, Iat approximately 08:30, Israeli naval troops abducted two Palestinian fishermen when they were fishing nearly 2.5 nautical miles from Gaza seashore: Mohammed Mohyi al-Din Bakr, 62; and his son Mohammed, 18. The Israeli naval troops also confiscated the fishing boat. The two fishermen were released at approximately 91:30 on the same day after they had been interrogated by Israeli forces.
On 05 May 2012, Israeli forces positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast of Khan Yunis opened fire at Palestinian agricultural land in al-Qarara village. As a result, a camel was killed.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces conducted a limited incursion into al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, during which they fired two artillery shells at open areas.
On 06 May 2012, Israeli soldiers positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of al-Maghazi refugee camp abducted two Palestinian civilians, including a child, when they attempted to cross the border to search for jobs in Israel.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
Israeli forces use force to disperse peaceful protests against the Annexation Wall organized by Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. 11 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded. Dozens of civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Following the Friday Prayer on 04 May 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall and in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who have been on hunger strike. The demonstrators raised the Palestinian flag and portraits of a number of Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails and called for ending the political split. They then moved towards areas of annexation wall. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 04 May 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators moved towards areas of the annexation wall. Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Also following the Friday prayer on 04 May 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders gathered in the center of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to start the weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities and in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who have been on hunger strike. The protesters walked towards the gate erected by Israeli forces near the entrance of the village and leading to Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby ‘Halmish’ settlement are trying to seize. Israeli soldiers who had been extensively deployed in the area and near all the entrances of the village since the morning, began to confront the protesters who wanted to walk towards the affected lands. Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters. As a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
On Saturday noon, 05 May 2012, Israeli forces attacked dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders who organized a peaceful demonstration in Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron, and attempted to reach the area located neat “Kari Tsur,” protesting plans to expand the settlement. They also violently beat ‘Ali Ahmed Abu Hashem, 45.
Other Peaceful Demonstrations
At approximately 13:00 on Thursday, 26 April 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians, including families of Palestinians prisoners in Israeli jails demonstrated near Oufar Prison, southwest of Ramallah, in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who have been on hunger strike. Israeli soldiers fired at the demonstrators, wounding of them (PCHR keeps their names). They also abducted Tariq Baheej al-Baqawi, 21.
Following the Friday Prayer on 04 may 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians, including Bir Zeit University students and facilities of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails demonstrated near Oufar Prison, southwest of Ramallah, in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who have been on hunger strike. Israeli soldiers fired at the demonstrators, wounding 5 of them, including a child (PCHR keeps their names). A number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation.
On Saturday afternoon, 05 May 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians, including Bir Zeit University students and facilities of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails demonstrated near Oufar Prison, southwest of Ramallah, in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who have been on hunger strike. Israeli soldiers fired at the demonstrators, wounding two of them (PCHR keeps their names). A number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On 03 May 2012, Palestinian civilians in Yarza village in the northern Jordan Valley found that Israeli forces had destroyed the agricultural road that links between the east of Tubas and the village. The road is 7 kilometers long.
On the same day, Israeli forces moved into al-Makhrour area in the northwest of Beit Jala. They demolished a restaurant belonging to Ramzi Qaisiya.
Also on the same day, Israeli military bulldozers blocked and destroyed a road that leads to Palestinian agricultural lands in the south of al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. This road serves an area of at least 5,000 dunums of agricultural land.
Also on the same day, Israeli forces moved into Khirbat al-Mafqara area to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron. They delivered notices to Mohammed Hamamda, Hatem Hamamda and the sons of Maher Hamamda notifying them that their tin-made houses would be demolished.
On 08 May 2012, Israeli forces moved into ‘Attous area to the west of Beit Oula village, northwest of Hebron. They cut and confiscated at least 100 olive trees belonging to Hassan Mohammed al-‘Amla. They also cut and confiscated 250 olive trees and destroyed an irrigation network belonging to Fayez Mohammed al-‘Amla.
On 09 May 2012, Israeli forces moved into Nazareth Street in the north of Jenin. They demolished two barracks belonging to ‘Awni Fadel al-‘Omari, claiming that they were built without licenses.
On the same day, Israeli forces moved into the industrial zone in the west of Housan village, west of Bethlehem. They demolished two shops and confiscated car parts from a third one.
Recommendations to the international community:
Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention convene a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel’s respect of the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians.
The PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with their legal obligations detailed in Article 146 of the Convention to search for and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches, namely war crimes.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
